Andre Ho and Pierre-Luc Hinse Qualify For London
At the North American Olympic Qualifier the Canadian Men's Team qualified the maximum number of athletes possible. With recent results from our top men this was expected. However, when in a last minute turn Eugene Zhen Wang, Canada's #1, was not successful to get Canadian citizenship in time for the trials, the expected result was in doubt.
Canada's fourth ranked Andre Ho (BC), who has been steadily moving up in the World Rankings since joining he National Training Center last spring (almost 200 positions on the ITTF Senior Ranking) started the competition on fire. In the semi- finals of a KO draw of which the winner wold be the first qualifier, Ho eliminated fellow countryman Hongtao Chen (ON), who for his part had just come off some impressive results on the international stage. In the finals, Ho faced Pierre-Luc Hinse (QC) and left no doubt that he was poised for London.
In the second stage - another KO draw with the winner earning spot #2 - Pierre-Luc Hinse prevailed with a convincing 4-1 win over Michael Landers (US) in the semis and a 4-3 thriller over American Timothy Wang in the finals. This win claimed the two possible positions for Canada and qualified the Canadian men's team for London.
On the women's side the US team was the clear favorite. Canada had already qualified Mo Zhang (as the PANAM Games Champion) and only a major upset would secure a second spot. 43-year old Chris Xu (BC) was on her way to cause such an upset. In Stage 1 of the competition, Xu defeated Lily Zhang (US) world ranked 226 positions higher than Xu. In the final match for a spot in London Xu kept up leading 2-1 in games and 6-4 when Ariel Hsing (US), ranked 237 positions higher, found a way to turn the match in her favor and secured her ticket to London with a 4-3 win.
In Stage 2 it was 15-year old Anqi Luo (ON) who made it to the finals where she could not find the weaknesses of Lily Zhang, hence losing the ticket to London to the American.
As a result of the qualifier Canada will have a Men's team in London with Andre Ho and Pierre-Luc Hinse and a third player yet to be determined. (The third player on the Canadian team will go to the highest Canadian world ranked player on July 4, the entry deadline for the Canadian team.)
On the women's side, Mo Zhang (ON) will be the Canadian entry in Singles.
Day 2 News: Pierre-Luc Hinse (CAN) is the second men's qualifier (ITTF Article).
Day 1 News: Andre Ho (CAN) is the first men's qualifier, and Ariel Hsing is the Second Women's qualifier (ITTF Article).
The Players
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Zhang Mo, Winner of Pan Am
Games 2011, First Qualifier
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Pierre-Luc Hinse,
NA Champion 2011
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Anqi Luo
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Hongtao Chen
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Shirley Fu
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Pierre-Luc Theriault
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Chris Xu
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Andre Ho
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Sara Yuen
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BACK TO TOP
Three players will qualify with a maximum of 2 players per NOC. The qualification competition is comprised of three events.
Event 1: Will be played by single elimination (KO). Seeding will be based on the last available world ranking. The winner is the
First Qualifier.
Event 2: Will be played by single elimination (KO of 8 places). All players non-qualified on the Event 1 who reached the quarterfinals will be eligible to participate in the event 2. Runner-up in Event 1 will be seed 1 and will go to position 1, getting a bye on the first round. The winner is the Second Qualifier.
Event 3: Will be played in two stages. All players non-qualified on the Event 2 will participate in the event 3.
Stage 1: two groups of three players (A & B) will be formed.
Stage 2: winners and runners-up in the groups will play crossed semi-finals, then a final and a match for the positions 3-4.
The winner (if from a different NOC of at least one of the qualified players) is the Third Qualifier.
*See the Prospectus for more details.
In addition to the First Qualifier (Zhang Mo CAN, qualified as 2011 Pan American Games Champion), two additional players will qualify. A maximum of 2 players per NOC may get qualified. The qualification competition is comprised of two events.
Event 1: Will be played by single elimination (KO). Seeding will be based on the last available world ranking. The winner is the
Second Qualifier.
Event 2: Will be played in two stages. All players non-qualified on the Event 1 who reached the quarterfinals
will be eligible to participate in the event 2.
Stage 1: two groups of three or four players (A & B) will be formed.
Stage 2: winners and runners-up in the groups will play crossed semi-finals, then a final and a match for the positions 3-4.
The winner (if from a different NOC of at least one of the qualified players) is the Third Qualifier.
*See the Prospectus for more details.
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Women's Qualifiers
1. Zhang Mo (CAN)
2. Ariel Hsing (USA)
3. Lily Zhang (USA)
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Men's Qualifiers
1. Andre Ho (CAN)
2. Pierre-Luc Hinse (CAN)
3. Timothy Wang (USA)
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The
following is an excerpt from ITTF page: http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story1.asp?ID=27113&Competition_ID=2134&
Situated in North Carolina, the town of Cary will be the
home for the North American Olympic Qualification Tournament.
The tournament will be staged from Friday 20th to Sunday
22nd April 2012 and will conclude the continental qualification process for the
London 2012 Olympic Games.
Elation and heartbreak will be on the menu; for those who
suffer there will be just one more chance, the final World Olympic
Qualification Tournament will be staged in Doha from Thursday 10th to Sunday
13th May 2012.
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Attending will be Canadian men’s national team players Pierre-Luc
Hinse, Pierre-Luc Theriault, Hongtao Chen, and Andre Ho. For the women, Chris Xu, Anqi Luo, Shirley Fu,
and Sara Yuen.
(Apr 20-22)
